Puri Police Crack Down on Fake Servitors Extorting Devotees

The Puri police have successfully detained 12 individuals accused of masquerading as servitors at the Shree Jagannath Temple to extort money from devotees.

The suspects, with ages ranging from 20 to 51, were apprehended at Badadanda and Parikrama Road. The group had reportedly been engaging in this deceitful practice for months, primarily targeting visitors from West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Seized during the arrest were 14 mobile phones and Rs 20,000 in cash. The police intervened following complaints of harassment, subsequently identifying all accused as residents of Puri town. The men face charges under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

(With inputs from agencies.)